1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and a program, particularly to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and a program that have a function of specifying a destination to transmit image data to an external device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a configuration in which image data and document data read by an image processing apparatus such as a digital multifunction peripheral can be transmitted to and stored in a folder of an external device such as a computer connected via a network.
For example, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-280607, when image data is transmitted from a digital multifunction peripheral, the presence or absence of a shared folder is searched and displayed for all the computers connected via a network, user selection from among the shared folder is received, and the image data is transmitted to the selected folder.
In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-186823, when document data read by the image processing apparatus is stored, the image data is transmitted to a folder previously set and registered in the image processing apparatus out of the folders of computers connected via the network.
The configuration of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-280607 is convenient because all the folders to which the data can be transmitted can be recognized by the search. However, as the number of connected computers increases, the search time becomes longer, and a time lag occurs until the folder to which the data can be transmitted is displayed. As a result, a user is kept waiting for a long time, or the user may feel uncomfortable.
It is well expected that many folders that are set to be shared not for the purpose of receiving the image data from the image processing apparatus but for other purposes are included in the shared folders of the connected computers. However, in the configuration of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-280607, since all the shared folders are searched and displayed including those as mentioned above, a considerable time may be required not only for the search but also for the user selection of the destination folder following the search.
On the other hand, in the configuration of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-186823, since the folder to which the data can be transmitted is previously set and registered, it is advantageous in that the folder to which the data can be transmitted is recognized within a short time, and the folder that is not used to receive document data will not be a candidate of a destination.
In order to classify and store the received data, a user of a computer frequently creates a subfolder categorized by type and use to the folder for receiving the transmission. In such cases, in the configuration of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-186823, the user must go through a cumbersome task because it will become necessary that a new destination is additionally registered at the side of the image processing apparatus to perform the transmission to the new folder. In order to set and register a destination, it is typically necessary to manually input a name and an IP address of the destination computer, and a folder structure (directory structure), which forces troublesome operations to the user.
Both in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2004-280607 and 2004-186823, it is necessary to search and register the destination with respect to each image processing apparatus, and therefore efficiency becomes worsened in a case where a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected.